Arizona weekly enterprise., 1887-05-14

Lewis Cass, Thomas Ewing, and An drew Stewart, made appropriations from the national treasury, and the work was vigorously executed. Begin ming at Cumberland mountain, it ex- tended across Pennsylvania, Virginia, Ohio, and Indiana westward. The de- slgn was to connect the national capital with St. Louis. '.The Democracy op- posed such appropriation of the nations treasury, but in vain. State rights were ignored" The road-bed was re- duced to grade of five degrees, was made thirty-five feet wide, and macad- amized. The under part was chiefly of stone, placed on edge, as is now the case in cities, and covered with pieces that would go through an inch and half ring. The national road was free to all It was maintained by the gen eral government for a dozen years, but in 1880, through deference to Gen. Jackson's idea of state sovereignty it was turned over to the states through which it was built.
 Much interesting reminiscence might be given of this great thoroughfare and 1uo holo' III ACOfs WHOA NdI " oeo threatened between this country and France, there was such suspicion of sympathy between the French in Louisi- ana and the enemy that d quick mail route was established via this road, and the Mississippi river contracts were let with the requirement. of speed to aver age ten miles per hour. The entire 1 highway was laid off into sections, three | boys and nine horses being required for sixty-three miles, and the time given for the trip was six hours eighteen minutes.
 Whether legal or not, the national road was Q popular thoroughfare. There were soon as high as 150 great Cones toga six-horse teams' per day. That is the same number as the railroad trains that pass over the Pennsylvania railroad now daily to and from Jersey City. There were four or five four horse mail and passenger coaches each way daily.
 Presidents frequented this highway, and on such occasions men were posted at hilltops by the roadway to wave their red bandanas as signal of approach for the distinguished travellers. The people would assemble and render both vocal and instrumental music.
 Much of the national road is still in good condition, and its many historic associations are enhanced by modern progress. While the old cast iron posts yet remain to tell of distances to places, etc, telegraph wires are abundant, and there is combination of things ancient and modern which give to travellers by the old road much of rare interest.
 Of noted passengers over this road there are recorded the names of James Monroe, Andrew Jackson, William Henry Harrison, John Tyler, Dick
 Johnson (vice-president under Tyler)
 James K. Polk, Santa Anna, and the Marquis de Lafayette.
 James K. Polki How the name
 stands out in the list! To be assured
 about the stories told on the subject
 called on the venerable Mrs. Polk. A
 my greeting she said she was feeble, bu
 had never in the several years it haC
 been my fortune to know her appeared
 quite so bright, so graceful, and so ele
 gant
 '.Ah, yes; I have often been over thu
 great national road,' as it was called
 and it revives many pleasant reminis
 cences. Friends used to ask me if were not fahgued in making thos trips, but would tell them that in thos days 1 knew not the sensation of bein.
 tired. Why. we didn't travel in tn
 ordinary stage coaches of that day IfiH we did travel in public carriages buA gentlemen could make arrange
 mems to travel exclusively, and would stop over at night Mir. Polk was four , teen years successively in congress, ant we often journeyed that way; not al ways. We went to Washington twic
 in our private carriage. Our rout
 would be down the Cumberland to tn Ohio, and up that to Wheeling, ant ,, thence across by the national roaC to Cumberland, Md. The cars ran iron thence to Baltimore. When MT. Poll
 was elected president we went that wa, and changed cars at the Relay house the junction of that road and the on leading from Baltimore to Washington
 There was a great crowd there and h
 made speech. What magnifcen scenery on that thoroughfare across tn i! Alleghany mountains I had an eS perience on our journey that often gay amusement to our friends. Our tean ran away, and we might have beel much more unfortunate, but one of ou } horses fell and the driver checked tn others. But the carriage was upset Dr. Linn, a senator from Missouri, wa especially attentive to me. Mir. Pol
 and others had emerged from the cal : riage and Dr. Lynn proposed to hel l me. and he asked me to put my foot i 7 his hand. 1 did so, and he helpea m gracefully in that way. He was , courtly gentleman. ."-Nasavitle Anne,